1. Technical Field
This invention relates to door constructions and in particular to means for mounting an inner door structure and a gasket to the inner surface of a refrigerator door or the like.
2. Background Art
In one form of refrigerator door, an inner door panel and gasket are mounted to the inner flange of the door by metal retaining strips. One example of such a door construction is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,134 of William D. Haynes, Jr. As shown therein, a plurality of spaced-apart screws, bolts or the like are extended through holes provided in the metal clamping pieces and holes in the edges of the inner door panel to be threaded into tapped flared openings of a flange on the outer metal door pan for locking the inner and outer door walls together. The retaining strips further serve to hold the gasket in place.
Another form of seal mounting structure is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,815 of Max Baermann. As shown therein, one of the elements has a plurality of spaced tabs extending outwardly in a row parallel to the edge of the opening. The tabs define a surface facing the first element with some of the tabs having free ends defining a line spaced laterally apart from a line defined by the free ends of the other of the tabs. A body member of the seal is semi-rigid and is snapped over the tabs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,626, Myron G. Kordes shows a refrigerator door construction wherein the foam material is utilized to secure the assembly. During the filling of the door cavity, spacers are provided within the door so that upon completion of the foaming operation, the spacers may be removed and an anchoring leg of the gasket snapped into place into the cavity left by the removal of the spacers, thereby securing the gasket to the door without the use of screws or other mechanical fasteners.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,219, Louis A. Macklanburg shows a door sealing threshold which utilizes a plurality of tabs projecting through openings in a seal retaining strip. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the retaining strip is driven longitudinally into an interlocking relationship with the tabs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,637 which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, Robert E. Lindenschmidt discloses a refrigerator door construction wherein the gasket is secured to the door by a portion of a snap-in retaining element. Corner brackets and cross braces may be used to position the liner relative to the outer door structure where the insulation is relatively soft, such as fiberglass insulation.